Will Allen on Debate, Baseball, and Leadership
In Episode 12 of Season Two of The Late Start Show, we sit down with Will Allen, senior, head varsity debate captain, and US baseball player. He takes us from transferring in from Chagrin Falls and finding his footing to the upperclassman mentors who brought him in and why microeconomics with Mr. Heath became a turning point. On the baseball field, Will relives last year’s historic run to the state finals and relentless summer work that forged US Baseball’s culture. In the classroom and beyond, he shares why he jumped into orchestra and how he manages a schedule that swings from practice to tournaments to late-night homework.
From captaining one of Ohio’s top Public Forum squads to serving as treasurer on the Student Investment, Will opens up about leadership, goal setting, and what’s next, an economics track in college, a possible finance or data angle, and a dream of bringing home a debate state title while chasing another deep baseball playoff run. What does US mean to him now? Waking up excited to come to school, and to the work after the bell. His “why”? To be “a little bit better at everything you do every day”, to keep showing up, keep improving, and keep building something bigger with the people around him.
Credits to Theo Walter for Production and Editing, Russ Nobles for the Intro and Outro songs, Mr. Wickboldt for being our advisor, and you for listening to our podcast and keeping up with the latest US news.
Will Allen is a senior at University School, where he is the head varsity debate captain and a prominent member of the baseball team. He transferred to University School in eighth grade from Chagrin Falls, having started his debate career in seventh grade at Chagrin Schools. Allen was part of the US baseball team that made a historic run to the state finals in 2025, and he also serves as treasurer on the Student Investment Committee. He plans to pursue an economics track in college, with a potential focus on finance or data.